Nutritional status and bioelectrical phase angle assessment in adult Crohn disease patients receiving anti-TNFα therapy

Background Altered body composition is frequently observed in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Aims To investigate the nutritional status, and the effect of different therapeutic regimes in adult CD patients. Methods Fat free mass (FFM) and BIA-derived phase angle (PhA) were assessed in 45 CD patients, 22 on conventional therapy (CT) and 23 on maintenance therapy with infliximab (MT). Nutritional status was also assessed in 12 CD patients before and following the induction protocol with infliximab. BIA data of CD patients were compared with those of 20 healthy asymptomatic volunteers. In CD patients C Reactive Protein (CRP) and albuminaemia dosage were obtained. Results The mean values of PhA and of FFM were significantly lower in CT patients when compared with control group and MT patients. Following infliximab treatment FFM increased, although not significantly, while mean phase angle value significantly increased from 4.6 ± 0.3 to 6.2 ± 0.4 (p < 0.05). CRP was significantly lower in M...